Hiroshi Yamauchi
) Sakyô-ku, Kyoto, Japan |company = Nintendo (1949-2005) }} Hiroshi Yamauchi (November 7, 1927 - September 19, 2013) was the third president of Nintendo. He served as president for over 50 years and was the last member of the Yamauchi family to be president of Nintendo, after Satoru Iwata succeded him. He was a key figure in transforming Nintendo from a small company into a prolific video game developer and publisher. His great-grandfather was Fusajiro Yamauchi, the founder of the company. Biography Early history Hiroshi Yamauchi was born to his mother Kimi Yamauchi (died January 20, 1978) and his father Shikanojo Inaba . Yamauchi's grandfather and president of Nintendo, Sekiryo Kaneda, suffered a stroke in 1949. As he had no other immediate successor, he asked Yamauchi to assume the job of president. Yamauchi would only accept the position if he were the only family member working at Nintendo. Yamauchi's grandfather reluctantly agreed, and he died shortly after. The agreement resulted in his older cousin being fired. Due to his young age and lack of management experience, most employees did not take Yamauchi seriously and resented him. Soon after taking over, he had to deal with a strike by factory employees who expected him to cave in easily. Yamauchi asserted his authority by firing many long-time employees who questioned it. He had the company name changed to Nintendo Karuta and established its new headquarters in Kyoto. Yamauchi was known for being a ruthless and intimidating leader. He was the sole judge of potential new products, and only products he took a liking to went on the market. Yamauchi was the first to introduce the plastic Western playing card into the Japanese market. Instead of associating the cards with gambling, Nintendo marketed its playing cards as tools for party games that families could enjoy. A tie-in with Disney characters was made towards that end. The strategy succeeded and the product sold an unprecedented 600,000 units in one year. With this success, Yamauchi changed the company name to Nintendo Co., Ltd., took the company public, and became the chairman. Yamauchi's visit the United States Playing Card Company, the world's biggest manufacturer of playing cards, would make him realize that card manufacturing was a limited venture after seeing their small-scale office and factory. Upon his return to Japan, Yamauchi decided to diversify the company. Some of the new areas he ventured into included a taxi company called Daiya Transportation (which he left in 1969), a love hotel (which he reportedly frequented), and individually portioned instant rice. All of these ventures eventually failed and brought the company into the brink of bankruptcy. However, one day, Yamauchi spotted factory engineer Gunpei Yokoi playing with a simple extendable claw, something Yokoi made to amuse himself during his break. Yamauchi ordered Yokoi to develop the extendable claw into a proper product. The product was named the Ultra Hand and was an instant hit. It was then that Yamauchi decided to move Nintendo's focus into toy making. Yamauchi created a new department called Games and Setup, manned initially by only Yokoi and another employee who managed the finances. Game industry success Yamauchi negotiated a license with Magnavox to sell its game console, the Magnavox Odyssey. After hiring several Sharp Electronics employees, Nintendo launched the Color TV-Game 6 in Japan. Yamauchi had Nintendo expand into the United States to take advantage of the growing American arcade market. He hired his son-in-law Minoru Arakawa to head the new American division. Their Japanese hits such as Radar Scope, Space Fever, and Sheriff did not achieve the same success in the United States, so Yamauchi turned to designer Shigeru Miyamoto's project, Donkey Kong in 1981, which became a smash hit. Yamauchi instituted three separate research and development units, which competed with one another and aimed for innovation. This system fostered a high degree of both unusual and successful gadgets. Yokoi, who headed R&D1, created the first portable LCD video game featuring a microprocessor called the Game & Watch. Although the Game & Watch was successful, Yamauchi wanted something that was cheap enough that most could buy it yet unique enough so that it would dominate the market for as long as possible. The Family Computer success Yamauchi was so confident with Nintendo's new console, the Family Computer (Famicom/NES), that he promised an electronics company one million unit orders within two years. The Famicom quickly reached that goal. After selling several million units, Yamauchi realized the importance of the software that ran on the game systems and made sure the system was easy to program. Yamauchi believed that artists created excellent games, not technicians. Despite having no engineering or video game background, Yamauchi was the only one who could decide which games could be released. Hiroshi Yamauchi stated in 1996 that while he wanted to retire from Nintendo, he could not find any good candidates to succeed him. He eventually stepped down as president on May 24, 2002, and Satoru Iwata took over his position. Yamauchi retired from the company entirely after a shareholder's meeting on June 29, 2005, though still chose to keep stock in Nintendo (he was the leading stock holder), leading him to become the 12th richest man in Japan due to the success of the Wii and Nintendo DS. Hiroshi Yamauchi passed away on September 19, 2013 following complications of pneumonia. List of games * Radar Scope (1980) - Executive producer * Donkey Kong (1981) - Executive Producer * Popeye (1982) - Executive Producer * Donkey Kong Jr. (1982) - Executive Producer * Mario Bros. (1983) - Executive Producer * Donkey Kong 3 (1983) - Executive Producer * Duck Hunt (1984) - Executive Producer * Super Mario Bros. (1985) - Executive Producer * The Legend of Zelda (1986) - Executive Producer * Super Mario Bros. 2 (1986) - Executive Producer * The Mysterious Murasame Castle (1986) - Executive Producer * Zelda II: The Adventure of Link (1987) - Executive Producer * Famicom Golf: Japan Course (1987) - Executive Producer * Famicom Golf: U.S. Course (1987) - Executive Producer * Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic (1987) - Executive Producer * Shin Onigashima (1987) - Executive Producer * Famicom Grand Prix II: 3D Hot Rally (1987) - Executive Producer * Super Mario Bros. 3 (1988) - Executive Producer * Mother (1989) - Executive Producer * Yūyūki (1989) - Executive Producer * Super Mario World (1990) - Executive Producer * F-Zero (1990) - Executive Producer * Pilotwings (1990) - Executive Producer * NES Open Tournament Golf (1991) - Executive Producer * The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (1991) - Executive Producer * X (1992) - Executive Producer * Wave Race (1992) - Executive Producer * Super Mario Kart (1992) - Executive Producer * Star Fox (1993) - Executive Producer * Kirby's Adventure (1993) - Executive Producer * Top Rank Tennis (1993) - Executive Producer * The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening (1993) - Executive Producer * Wario's Woods (1994) - Executive Producer * Stunt Race FX (1994) - Executive Producer * Donkey Kong (1994) - Executive Producer * EarthBound (1994) - Executive Producer * Kirby's Dream Course (1994) - Executive Producer * Kirby's Dream Land 2 (1995) - Executive Producer * Star Fox 2 (1995, canceled) - Executive Producer * Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island (1995) - Executive Producer * Mario's Super Picross (1995) - Executive Producer * Kirby's Block Ball (1995) - Executive Producer * Pokémon Red and Green (1996) - Executive Producer * Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars (1996) - Executive Producer * Kirby Super Star (1996) - Executive Producer * Super Mario 64 (1996) - Executive Producer * Pilotwings 64 (1996) - Executive Producer * Mole Mania (1996) - Executive Producer * Wave Race 64 (1996) - Executive Producer * Pokémon Blue (1996) - Executive Producer * Picross 2 (1996) - Executive Producer * Marvelous: Mōhitotsu no Takarajima (1996) - Executive Producer * Special Tee Shot (1996) - Executive Producer * Mario Kart 64 (1996) - Executive Producer * Blast Corps (1997) - Executive Producer * Star Fox 64 (1997) - Executive Producer * GoldenEye 007 (1997) - Executive Producer * Kirby's Dream Land 3 (1997) - Executive Producer * Yoshi's Story (1997) - Executive Producer * Super Game Boy 2 (1998) - Executive Producer * Kirby's Star Stacker (1998) - Executive Producer * Game Boy Camera (1998) - Executive Producer * 1080° Snowboarding (1998) - Executive Producer * F-Zero X (1998) - Executive Producer * Pocket Monsters Stadium (1998) - Executive Producer * Pokémon Yellow: Special Pikachu Edition (1998) - Executive Producer * The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (1998) - Executive Producer * The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX (1998) - Executive Producer * Mario Party (1998) - Executive Producer * Pokémon Trading Card Game (1998) - Executive Producer * Super Smash Bros. (1999) - Executive Producer (Company President of Nintendo, Japan) * Pokémon Snap (1999) - Executive Producer * Pokémon Stadium (1999) - Executive Producer * Super Mario Bros. Deluxe (1999) - Executive Producer * ''Mario Golf'' (Nintendo 64) (1999) - Executive Producer * ''Mario Golf'' (Game Boy Color) (1999) - Executive Producer * Pokémon Gold and Silver (1999) - Executive Producer * Star Wars Episode I: Racer (GBC) (1999) - Executive Producer * Mario Artist: Paint Studio (1999) - Executive Producer * Mario Party 2 (1999) - Executive Producer * Mario Artist: Talent Studio (2000) - Executive Producer * Wario Land 3 (2000) - Executive Producer * Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards (2000) - Executive Producer * Itoi Shigesato no Bass Tsuri No. 1 (2000) - Executive Producer * The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask (2000) - Executive Producer * Mario Artist: Communication Kit (2000) - Executive Producer * ''Mario Tennis'' (Nintendo 64) (2000) - Executive Producer * Paper Mario (2000) - Executive Producer * Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble (2000) - Executive Producer * Mario Artist: Polygon Studio (2000) - Executive Producer * ''Mario Tennis'' (Game Boy Color) (2000) - Executive Producer * Sin & Punishment (2000) - Executive Producer * Mario Party 3 (2000) - Executive Producer * Pokémon Crystal (2000) - Executive Producer * Pokémon Stadium 2 (2000) - Executive Producer * The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons (2001) - Executive Producer * The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages (2001) - Executive Producer * Super Mario Advance (2001) - Executive Producer * F-Zero: Maximum Velocity (2001) - Executive Producer * Napoleon (2001) - Executive Producer * Pokémon Card GB2 (2001) - Executive Producer * Animal Crossing (2001) - Executive Producer credited in the N64 and Japanese GC versions * Hamtaro: Ham-Hams Unite! (2001) - Executive Producer credited in the Japanese version * Mobile Golf (2001) - Executive Producer * Mario Kart: Super Circuit (2001) - Executive Producer * Golden Sun (2001) - Executive Producer * Wario Land 4 (2001) - Executive Producer * Advance Wars (2001) - Executive Producer * Luigi's Mansion (2001) - Executive Producer * Wave Race: Blue Storm (2001) - Executive Producer * Dokodemo Taikyoku: Yakuman Advance (2001) - Executive Producer * Pikmin (2001) - Executive Producer * Pokémon Party mini (2001) - Executive Producer * Pokémon Zany Cards (2001) - Executive Producer * Pokémon Pinball mini (2001) - Executive Producer * Pokémon Puzzle Collection (2001) - Executive Producer * Super Smash Bros. Melee (2001) - Executive Producer (Executive President of Nintendo, Japan) * Magical Vacation (2001) - Executive Producer * Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2 (2001) - Executive Producer * Tomato Adventure (2002) - Executive Producer * Domo-Kun no Fushigi Terebi (2002) - Executive Producer * Cubivore: Survival of the Fittest (2002) - Executive Producer * Koro Koro Puzzle Happy Panechu! (2002) - Executive Producer * Doshin the Giant (2002) - Executive Producer credited in the Japanese version * Pokémon Shock Tetris (2002) - Executive Producer * Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade (2002) - Executive Producer * Hamtaro: Ham-Ham Heartbreak (2002) - Executive Producer credited in the Japanese version * Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem (2002) - Executive Producer credited in the international version * Golden Sun: The Lost Age (2002) - Executive Producer * Sakura Momoko no Ukiuki Carnival (2002) - Executive Producer * Custom Robo GX (2002) - Executive Producer * Disney's Magical Quest starring Mickey and Minnie Mouse (2002) - Executive Producer * Disney's Magical Mirror Starring Mickey Mouse (2002) - Executive Producer * Densetsu no Starfy (2002) - Executive Producer * Star Fox Adventures (2002) - Executive Producer Special Thanks * Killer Instinct (1994) * Donkey Kong Country (1994) * Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest (1995) * Killer Instinct 2 (1996) * Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! (1996) * Killer Instinct Gold (1996) * Cruis'n USA (N64) (1996) * Banjo-Kazooie (1998) * Jet Force Gemini (1999) * Donkey Kong 64 (1999) * Donkey Kong Country (GBC) (2000) * Mickey's Speedway USA (2000) * Banjo-Tooie (2000) * Conker's Bad Fur Day (2001) * Mickey's Speedway USA (GBC) (2001) * Animal Crossing e+ (2002) External links *Article on Wikipedia es:Hiroshi Yamauchi Category:Nintendo people Category:Real people Category:Company Presidents Category:Deceased Category:Nintendo presidents